1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container for storing a desiccant material. More particularly, the present invention relates to desiccant container with a chamber to store the desiccant material and a separate chamber to hold water collected by the desiccant material. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a desiccant container that is flexible and collapsible.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Hygroscopic substances can absorb water and water vapor to maintain a dry environment. A desiccant or desiccant material is a well known hygroscopic substance used to absorb water and water vapor in enclosed spaces. For a small space, such as a medicine bottle, a packet of silica gel absorbs moisture to maintain the integrity of pills stored in the bottle. For a large space, such as a basement room of a house, a package of calcium sulfate can be suspended in the air within the room to reduce humidity in the atmosphere of the room. Other desiccants include activated charcoal, and calcium chloride.
The basic container for desiccant includes a housing and a vapor permeable membrane. The housing and membrane hold the desiccant in place, while the membrane exposes the desiccant to moisture in the atmosphere. The desiccant collects water, while remaining contained in the housing. The housing allows placement of the desiccant in various locations within the room or other enclosed space. There are known containers, such as jars to set upon counters and pouches to hang from a horizontal closet rod.
Many simple versions of a desiccant container are known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,162, issued to Luce on Apr. 8, 1952, discloses a hanging container for desiccant material suspended in the air. U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,830, issued to Esposito et al on Jul. 28, 1964, describes a container with an indicator for saturation of the desiccant material inside the container. The container is a traditional model for setting on a counter or shelf. Various specialized containers are disclosed for limited applications, such as air flow through a motor vehicle air conditioning system and coatings for packaging.
More recent publications related to specialized desiccant containers. U.S. Publication No. 20130269293, published for Dowling on Oct. 17, 2013, describes a container for protein powder in a sealed jar. U.S. Publication No. 20130213828, published for Chatterjee et al on Aug. 22, 2013, discloses another specialized pill bottle with an attached structure to hold desiccant material.
Every desiccant container must still account for the collection of water. Some desiccants absorb and expand in volume, so the volume of the housing must accommodate this transformation of the desiccant. Other desiccants condense the water vapor into water and require a separate housing to store the water. The condensed water must be funneled away so that the desiccant can continue to collect. Furthermore, disposable desiccant can be expensive with purchasing new containers every time. For re-useable desiccant containers, the ability to maintain the capacity of the desiccant to absorb and removal of the water from the container are important considerations. The storage of a desiccant container for limited seasonal use can also affect the structure and form of the container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container to house desiccant in a flexible pouch.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with separate compartments for desiccant and water storage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with a drainage connection to a water storage compartment.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container that is reuseable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container that is collapsible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with a collapsible permeable membrane.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with removable perforated opening.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with an attachment for hanging the container.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specifications and appended claims.